Pole with Smartphone Support and Shutter Release

1. A pole with smartphone support and shutter release, comprising in combination: an elongate pole having a proximal end and a distal end; a trigger located closer to said proximal end than to said distal end; a clamp located closer to said distal end than to said proximal end; said clamp configured to hold a smartphone thereon; an interface, said interface configured to communicate with a portion of the smartphone to deliver a signal from said trigger to the smartphone to cause the smartphone to impart a control signal to a camera associated with the smartphone; and wherein said clamp includes a vent louver coupling thereon including at least two plates with a gap between said plates, said gap sized to have a louver of a vent fit therein for supporting said clamp upon said louver of said vent.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said pole includes a plurality of separate telescoping sections such that said distal end can be moved relative to said proximal end.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said interface includes a cable extending from said pole and attaching to an input port of the smartphone, said cable sending an electronic signal through an input interface of the smartphone and with software on the smartphone detecting the electronic signal passing through the cable associated with actuation of said trigger, to cause camera operation.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the camera operation is in the form of a shutter release causing the camera to take a still picture.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said interface includes a wireless transmitter compatible with a receiver in the smartphone.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said clamp includes a base on a proximal side of said clamp and an upper arm on a distal side of said clamp, said upper arm spaced from said base by a saddle, said upper arm and said base biased to move toward each other such that a smart phone can be gripped between said base and said upper arm.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said base and said upper arm each include a finger extending laterally relative to said saddle with said finger of said upper arm and said finger of said base having surfaces facing each other, and with said surfaces positioned to rest against edges of a smartphone when a large surface of said smartphone is adjacent said saddle, said fingers moving toward each other until said fingers impact the edges of the smartphone for holding of the smartphone between said fingers, under force applied by a bias element within said clamp.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein each of said fingers includes an overhang on a portion thereof most distant from said saddle, said overhangs extending further toward each other than other portions of said finger of said upper arm and said finger of said base.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein said surfaces of said fingers which face each other include a resilient pad thereon.

10. The combination of claim 6 wherein a spring is interposed between said base and said upper arm, said spring exerting a force tending to draw said upper arm toward said base.

11. A pole with smartphone support and shutter release, comprising in combination: an elongate pole having a proximal end and a distal end; a trigger located closer to said proximal end than to said distal end; a clamp located closer to said distal end than to said proximal end; said clamp configured to hold a smartphone thereon; an interface, said interface configured to communicate with a portion of the smartphone to deliver a signal from said trigger to the smartphone to cause the smartphone to impart a control signal to a camera associated with the smartphone; wherein said clamp includes a base on a proximal side of said clamp and an upper arm on a distal side of said clamp, said upper arm spaced from said base by a saddle, said upper arm and said base biased to move toward each other such that a smart phone can be gripped between said base and said upper arm; wherein a spring is interposed between said base and said upper arm, said spring exerting a force tending to draw said upper arm toward said base; and wherein said upper arm includes a tenon extending therefrom toward said base and said base is fixed to said saddle with said saddle configured to include a mortise with a recess therein, said recess sized and oriented to receive said tenon therein in a sliding fashion, said tenon including a hollow core with said spring located within said hollow core of said tenon at least partially, and with ends of said spring coupled to said upper arm and said base, said spring configured as a helical tension spring to exert a force drawing said upper arm toward said base unless resisted by the smartphone between said upper arm and said base.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said elongate pole is removably attachable to said clamp, and wherein a resilient liner is located between said plates of said vent louver coupling and within said gap, said resilient liner having a slot therein within said gap which can receive said louver of said vent therein with a friction fit.

13. A pole with smartphone support, comprising in combination: an elongate pole having a proximal end and a distal end; a clamp located closer to said distal end than to said proximal end; said clamp configured to hold a smartphone thereon; wherein said clamp includes a base on a proximal side of said clamp and an upper arm on a distal side of said clamp, said upper arm spaced from said base by a saddle, said upper arm and said base biased to move toward each other such that a smart phone can be gripped between said base and said upper arm; wherein a spring is interposed between said base and said upper arm, said spring exerting a force tending to draw said upper arm toward said base; and wherein said upper arm includes a tenon extending therefrom toward said base and said base is fixed to said saddle with said saddle configured to include a mortise with a recess therein, said recess sized and oriented to receive said tenon therein in a sliding fashion, said tenon including a hollow core with said spring located within said hollow core of said tenon at least partially, and with ends of said spring coupled to said upper arm and said base, said spring configured as a helical tension spring to exert a force drawing said upper arm toward said base unless resisted by the smartphone between said upper arm and said base.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said pole includes a plurality of separate telescoping sections such that said distal end can be moved relative to said proximal end.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said base and said upper arm each include a finger extending laterally relative to said saddle with said finger of said upper arm and said finger of said base having surfaces facing each other, and with said surfaces positioned to rest against edges of a smartphone when a large surface of said smartphone is adjacent said saddle, said fingers moving toward each other until said fingers impact the edges of the smartphone for holding of the smartphone between said fingers, under force applied by a bias element within said clamp; wherein each of said fingers includes an overhang on a portion thereof most distant from said saddle, said overhangs extending further toward each other than other portions of said finger of said upper arm and said finger of said base; and wherein said surfaces of said fingers which face each other include a resilient pad thereon.

16. A pole with smartphone support, comprising in combination: an elongate pole having a proximal end and a distal end; a clamp located closer to said distal end than to said proximal end; said clamp configured to hold a smartphone thereon; and wherein said clamp includes a vent louver coupling thereon including at least two plates with a gap between said plates, said gap sized to have a louver of a vent fit therein for supporting said clamp upon said louver of said vent.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said elongate pole is removably attachable to said clamp, and wherein a resilient liner is located between said plates of said vent louver coupling and within said gap, said resilient liner having a slot therein within said gap which can receive said louver of said vent therein with a friction fit.